Sun tan fixture



Nov. 14, 1961 M. FRANZESE 3,009,055

SUN TAN FIXTURE Filed Sept. 18, 1959 gli /1 iii/ff 'E Il im iwf? F/6.4

45 INVENToR. 6,11:- I l IP /V/c/i FAM/2555 1? i BY MW #fraz/VE Ys v 3,009,055 SUN TAN FIXTURE Michael Franzese,l% Franzese Fixture Co., Inc., 3305 Laconia Ave., New York 6, N.Y.

Filed Sept. 18, 1959, Ser. No. 840,883 2 Claims. (Cl. 240-51.11)

LThis invention relates -to a fluorescent fixture for mounting elongated sun l-amps such as fluorescent tubes for producing a tan. l An object of theinvention is to provide a'lixture o rectangular formation which mounts a plurality of vsun lamps and reflectors for diffusing `the lamp rays 4to produce a sun ;tan on an individual in two minutes stand-A ingat approximately eighteen inches from the xture when connectedto a source -of current supply to pro^ duce 30,720 micro watts seconds per square centimeter of 2969 angstrom irradiation. v

vAnother 4object of the. invention is to provide a fluo-` rescent fixture of improved constructionffor mounting the sun lamps and reectors thereon ,in proper relation and which permits of convenient removal and replacement of the sun lamps.

A further object of the invention is to provide a duorescent fixture including a base support of rectangular formation having side and end walls with inwardly directed wall portions at the ends thereof providing supporting means for the reflectors and sun lamps.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fixture of said character in which adjacent reflectors are interlocked along their longitudinal edges and with the outermost reflectors interlocked with side panels secured to the base support whereby the reflectors are rigidly secured together throughout their length and may be removed for gaining access to the support.

A further object of the invention is to provide a base support for mounting the electrical equipment for the fluorescent tubes which is completely housed within the support and with the reflectors forming a closure for one side of the support.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specifications and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a plan view of a uorescent xture constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the same with fluorescent tubes in position therein.

FIG. 2 is la longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on line 3 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the basesuppor-t or pan.

Referring to the drawings, the fixture includes a base or pan which constitutes a container for housing electrical equipment such as transformers which are termed ballast and wiring connecting the transformers with the socket members for the fluorescent tubes and which also constitutes a support for reflectors and sun lamps.

The base or pan 10 includes a bottom wall 1i1, side walls 12 Iand end walls 13 which have inwardly directed outer end portions 14. Secured on the end portion 14 between the side walls 12 by any desired means such as screws are transversely extending suppor-ting plates 15 which are spaced from the bot-tom wall 1.1 to provide a recess therebetween lat the ends of the base or pan.

Supported on the plates 15 are a plurality of reectors 17 which extend longitudinally of the base or pan in side by side relation. The reflectors may be of any desired number and, as illustrated, are four in number,

3,009,055 Patented Nov. 14, 1961 one for each of four fluorescent tubes. The reflectors are of concave formation in cross section and include longitudinally extending side portions 18 of arcuate shaped formation and a longitudinally extending intermediate portion 19 which seat at their ends on the supporting plate V15. lFor a reflector of approximately five inches in width the side portions 18 are curved on a 1% inch radius and the'intermediate portion v119 therebetween is approximately 2% inches in width. 'Ihe reflectors close the outer side of the base or -pan in spaced relation from the bottom wall -11 to thereby provide a space therebetween for mounting the electrical equipment. The reflectors lare removable in order to gain access to the electrical equipment andV for this purpose the reflectors Iare secured at their ends to the supporting plates 15 by screws 20 and are interconnected along their longitudinal edges by means which retains the reflectors in alignment throughout their extent and which at the same time permits of the convenient removal of any one of the reflectors. Each of the rellectors along one of its longitudinal edges is reversely bent to provide a longitudinally extending channel 21 in which one ofV the adjacent reflector vlongitudinal edge portions similarly rebent to provide longitudinally extending channels 23 in which the outer longitudinal edge portions of the outermost reflectors are slidably secured. This provides means by which each of the rellectors may be independently removed by releasing the screws 20 of one or more of the reflectors and releasing the reflectors from the interconnecting engagement. The side plates 22 have inwardly directly inner end portions 24 which extend inwardly in overextending relation with the bottom wall 11 and are secured by screws 25 to the bottom wall. End plates 26 'are also provided which close the ends of the reflectors and are secured to the end walls 1'3 of the base or pan by screws 27.

The fluorescent tubes -F are releasably supported at their inner ends in socket members 28 which 4are secured to the under side of the supporting plates '15 and which projects through openings in said plates and in the reilectors with the outer ends of said socket members provided with sockets 29 for receiving .the ends of the fluorescent tubes. The socket members are of usual construction vand include a starter switch (not shown) and with a starter terminal 30 projecting through the supporting plate and through the reflectors at one end for engagement by the tubes respectively.

Secured to the bottom wall 11 with the base or pan are a plurality of transformers T termed in the trade ballast which are suitably connected by wiring W to the socket members 28 and with an electric cord C protruding therefrom for connection with a source of current.

In use the fixture is secured in upright relation and with an individual standing approximately eighteen inches from the fixture -a sun tan will be produced in approximately two minutes. The reflectors are constructed and arranged to diffuse the rays from the fluorescent tubes whereby the sun tan produced will be equal throughout the extent of the fixture.

The fluorescent tubes F are readily removable from the sockets 29 in the outer ends of the socket members 28 for replacement thereof and when in position therein are resiliently engaged by contact terminals 31 and 32 connected in circuit with the wiring W.

The rellectors 17 together with the side plates 22 are removable from the pan 10 by first removing the fluorescent tubes and then removing the screws 20 to free the reflectors 17 from the plates 1S and then by removing the screws 25 so as to free the side plates QZ. It will be understood that the openings in the reilectors through which the socket members 28 protrude permit of the lifting of Ithe reflectors -17 from supported position on the plates 15. The socket members 28 being secured to the under side of the plates 15 prevent the removal of the socket members with the reflectors.

While the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the same is not so limited but shall cover and include any and all modifications thereof which fall within the purview of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lluorescent fixture for producing a sun tan, a base including a bottom Wall, side Iand end walls rigidly connected with the base, a supporting plate at each end rigidly aixed with reference to said base and extending inwardly from said end walls in spaced relation above said bottom wall to provide a recess a-t each end of the base between said bottom wall and said plates respectively, a plurality of adjacent reflectors of concave formation in cross-section arranged in side by side parallel relation and located at their ends on said plates with the concave faces disposed outwardly, fluorescent tube socket members affixed to the under side of said plates with the upper portions thereof projecting through aligned openings in said plates and reflectors with a socket member disposed at each end of said reeetors for supporting a iluorescent tube extending longitudinally of each reector within and in spaced relation from the concave face thereof, end plates removably secured to said base overlying said end walls and extending over the ends of said reflectors, side plates removably secured to said base overlying said side walls and having their outer longitudinal edges located -adjacent the longitudinal outer side edges of the outer reflectors respectively, said adjacent reflectors having a reversely bent longitudinally' 2. :In a tluorescent iixture for producing a sun tan asV set fonth in claim 1 in which each side plate and the adjacent longitudinally extending edge of the adjacent reilector have a longitudinally extending rebent portion on one of the adjacent edges thereof forming a channel in which is slidably secured the other adjacent edge;

thereof for securing said side pla-tes and the adjacent reflectors together and permitting of the removal of the side plates and the several reflectors as ya unit from the base by releasing the securing means securing said reflectors to said supporting plate and said side plates to said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,619,583 Baumgartner Nov. 25, 1952 Hohl Nov. 11, 1952i 

